Meaning & use
please elaborate
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformal
A polite request asking someone to give more detail or explain their point more fully.
Grammar: A short command form: say 'Please elaborate on that.' Elaborate is a verb here.
Patterns
- please elaborate on something
- please elaborate
You mentioned a delay, so please elaborate on what caused it.
The teacher said, 'That's an interesting idea; please elaborate.'
In the comments section, someone asked the author to please elaborate.
Common combinations
- please elaborate on
- Please elaborate on your plan for the budget.
- could you please elaborate
- Could you please elaborate on that last point?
- kindly elaborate
- Kindly elaborate on the reasons for the change.
- please elaborate further
- If you can, please elaborate further in your report.
Synonyms and how they differ
- explain
- Explain is simpler and can start a topic, while elaborate asks for extra detail on something already said.
- say more
- Say more is conversational, whereas please elaborate sounds more formal and professional.
- expand
- Expand on is a close match, but it is a bit more neutral and used in writing and speech alike.
Word family
- elaborate verb
- to give more detail
- elaboration noun
- added detail or explanation
- elaborate adjective
- detailed or complicated
- elaborately adverb
- in a detailed way
Commonly confused: please elaborate or collaborate?
please elaborate vs collaborate
Collaborate means to work together. Elaborate means to add detail.
Practice
A colleague says the project is behind schedule. Which reply asks for more detail?
Choose one answer.
Please elaborate asks the speaker to explain more. The other verbs look similar but have different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “please elaborate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.